Window shade assembly



June 1, 1965 1.. s. wlLcoxou 3,136,475

WINDOW SHADE ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 18, 1961 INV EN TOR. W4 Wm UnitedStates Patent This invention relates to window shades and, moreparticularly, to a window shade of the type which utilizes a tubularroller, such as one made from steel.

A problem which has confronted manufacturers and retailers of windowshades of this type for a longtime has-been that of providing windowshades in the infinite number of lengths required in order to fit allwindows.

This problem is especially acute whe'rra window shade is to be replaced,because in this situation the window shade mount brackets are already inplace and their spacing" determines the length of the window shaderoller to be employed. Window shades utilizing wooden rollers are noparticular problem, because they may be cut to size using an ordinaryhand saw. Tubular steel is much more difiicult, and it requires specialtools and know-how in order to cut it neatly and accurately. Retailersof steel roller Window shades have had to install special cutting tools,but the cutting has taken a considerable amount of time on the part of aspecially trained-clerk. This situation can be alleviated to some extentby the retailer keeping on hand a great number of different stocksizes;for example, stock sizes which vary by an inch from one to the otherover the ordinary range of sizes sold. But, this practice also isobjectionable,-because it increases inventories unreasonably and unlessthe retailer has provisions ;for cutting, the in-between sizes requirethe resetting of the mounting brackets by the buyer or installer.

The primary objective of this invention has been to provide inexpensivemeans for varying the lengths of tubular rollers so that the number ofstock sizes required for a complete retailers' inventory-can bedrastically reduced.

Toward this end there is provided an inexpensive expansible adaptor plugwhich receives the gudgeon pin of the window shade roller. In thepreferred embodiment, this adaptor plug is molded of semi-resilientplastic material. It is adjustable axially within the tubular roller andit is easilyexpanded into locking engagement with the internal surfaceof the roller in any adjustable position. In my invention; thisexpansion is accomplished 1 by utilizing the gudgeon pin as theexpander. That is, the adaptor plug is fitted into the end of the tubeto a pointwhere the overall length is as required. Thereafter, thegudgeon pin is forced into a tapered bore within the plug which expandsthe plug to lock it securely in place within the tube.

The use of this plug fills in the gaps between the various lengths oftubes which may be carried in a reasonably sized inventory. Where it isdesired to reduce the inventory of lengthsto an even greaterextent, themethod of cutting disclosed here may be employed in conjunction with theadaptor plug; because, as will be seen, the adaptor plug takes theplaced the usual end cap in which the gudgeon pin has been mounted inthe past.

Hence, this arrangement of the elements accomplishes the objectives ofreducing inventories, minimizing the number of elements necessary toprovide an adjustable window shade assembly, reducing cost to a minimum,and it provides the purchaser with a simple means of length adjustment.

These and other objects will be readily apparent to one skilled in theart from the detailed description of the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the roller shade assembly.

3,186,475 Patented June 1, 1965 FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view ofthe roller shade being cut to size.

' FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the roller shade being separatedafter having been cut to size.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along the line 44 ofFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the adaptor plug.

FIGURE 6 is a front elevation of the gudgeori pin.

FIGURE 7 is an end view of a modified form of plug. FIGURE 8 is a crosssectional view of the plug of FIGURE 7.

Theroller shade assembly designated '1 comprises a tubular steel roller2 having a shade 4 rolled thereon. This shade may be made of plastic,fabric or other appropriate materials. Mounted in one end of the tubularsteel roller 2 is a conventional spring motor 6 such as that shown inPatent No. 2,586,340. Extending from the opposite end of the roller isan adaptor plug 8 from which extends one end 10 of a gudgeon pin 12.

v Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, it will be. seen that a stock sizewindow shade may be reduced in length by simultaneously cutting thewindow shade and tubular roller by means of a rotary steel diso cutterblade 14. The rotarysteel disc cutter is passed through the shade 4 andon into the tubular roller 2 while the roller is rotated by mechanicalmeans including a mandrel 16. After the cutter has heavily scored or cutthrough the tubular roller, the roller is shortened to size as shown inFIGURE 3. This cutting operation may take place in the retail store sothat it is not necessary to supply an unlimited number of stock sizes tothe retail store. After the window shade has been cut to size, the openend of the roller is closed by means of the adaptor plug 8.

' The adaptor plug 8 is preferably made of a polyethylene material ofone piece construction. The plug comprises a circular end portion orwall 18 from the periphery of which extends a cylindrical barrel 20having .an inwardly tapered end 22. On the periphery of the flange Taretwo shoulders 24 and 26 which serve to locate the wardly tapered hubportion 28. A tapered aperture 30 passes through the radially extendingportion 18 of the adaptor plug and the inwardly tapered hub portion 28.Four equally spaced ribs 34 extend radially from the hub portion-28 tothe interior surface of the cylindrical barrel 20. Located on theperiphery of the cylindrical barrel 20 at a point bet-ween two of theribs 34 is a groove 36 which extends from the end of the flange to thefirst shoulder 24. As may be seen in FIGURE 4, when the adaptor plug isinserted, the groove 36 fits over the lock seam of the tubular steelroller, thus keying the plug in place and preventing rotation.

A gudgeon pin "12 fits into the annular aperture 30 of the adaptor plugand serves to expand the adaptor plug into tight engagement with theinternal surface of the tubular steel roller. The gudgeon pin iscylindrical in shape and has a point 38 at one end. As shown, theoutside diameter of the pin 12 is substantially equal to the outer endof the aperture or opening 30, but the opening tapers inwardly such thatthe inner end thereof is substantially smaller than the outside diameterof the pin. Adjacent the opposite end of the gudgeon pin is a radiallyextending flange 40 which abuts against the end of the adaptor plug andserves to locate the gudgeon pin therein.

Due to the fact that the aperture 30 of the adaptor plug tapersinwardly, the hub 28, the ribs 34, and cylin dri-cal barrel 20 will beexpanded radially upon insertion ing it in place. ,of the plug, theouter ends of the ,ribs are tapered as area,

into the aperture 30 of the gudgeon pin 12. Thus, the adaptor plug maybe inserted into the tubular roller up to the shoulder 24 and thenexpanded into engagement 24 and in this position can be locked by thegudgeon pin 12. Thus a substantial latitude of adjustment for theoverall length ofthe assembly is provided. I

The modification of the plug illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8 omits thecylindrical barrel 20 at the outer ends of the radial ribs 34. Inthiscase, the outer surfaces of I the ribs, indicated by the numeral 41,make contact with the inner surface of the tubular roller and when theplug is expanded by insertion of the gudgeon pin, the surfaces aretightly pressed into engagement with the roller, lock- To assist inmaking the initial insertion On the other shown at 42. The modified formof plug may be adjusted lock it in place, just as in the preferredembodiment.

It will be understood that the above detailed descrip-' tion is made byway of illustration and not limitation, it being contemplated that anymodificationin the details of the invention may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the appendedclaims;

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a shade roller assembly having a tubular metal roller with a shaderolled thereon and a spring motor at one end thereof, the improvement tofacilitate the adjustment of the overall length .ofthe assemblycomprising,

an expansible plug at the other end of said roller, said plug being anintegral molding of semi-resilient plastic material having thecharacteristics of polyethylene, said plug having a circular end wall atthe outer end thereof that is sufiiciently larger in diameter than a theinside diameter of said roller to prevent insertion of the plug intosaid roller beyond said end wall,

an elongated cylindrical barrel portion extending from the inner face ofsaid end wall, the axis of which is coextensivetwith the central axis ofsaid circular en'd wall and which is of an outside diameter to bereceived in the roller in slip-fit relation when the plug is inunexpanded condition,

I a hub portion extendingfrorn the inner face of said end Wall the axisof which is concentric to the centr-al axis of said end Wall, said hubportion having an inwardly tapering central opening therein that opensthrough said end wall,

a cylindrical gudgeon pin having a pointed endreceivable in the openingin said hub, a plurality of radially disposed ribs. interconnecting saidbarrel in said hub,

and the outer end of said opening in said hub being substantially equalin diameter to the diameter of said gudgeon pin but said openingtapering inwardly to a diameter substantially smaller than the diameterof said pin, whereby forceable insertion of the axially of the rollerbefore the gudgeon pinis'insertedto V 4, pin into said opening expandssaid hub radially outwardly with the expanding force-being transmittedto said barrel through said ribs to lock said plug within said roller.

2. In a shade roller assembly having a tubular metal roller with a shaderolled thereon and a spring motor at One end thereof, the improvement tofacilitate the adjustment of the overall length of the assemblycomprising,

an expansible plug in the other end of said roller, said plug being anintegral molding of semi-resilient plastic material having thecharacteristics of polyethylene, said plug having a circular end wall atthe outer end thereof that is sufficiently larger in diameter than the{inside diameter of said roller to preventinser-tion of the plug intosaid roller beyond said end Wall, 7

theouter diameter of the remainder of said plug. being of a diameter tobe received in the roller in slip-fit relation whenzthe plug isinunexpanded condition, an inwardly tapering hub portion extending fromthe inner face of said end wall the axis of which is concentric to thecentral axis of said end wall, said hub portion'having an inwardlytapering central opening therein-that opens through said end wall,

a cylindrical gudgeon pin having a pointed end receivable in the openingin said hubf,

and the outer end of said opening in said hub being substantially equalin diameter to the diameter of said gudgeon pin but said openingtapering inwardly to a diameter substantially smaller than the diameterof said pin, whereby forceable insertion of the pin intogsaid openingexpands said plug radially outwardly to tightly engage the inner surfaceof said roll to lock said plug within said roller.

3. A plug and pin assembly for mounting in a hollow end of a shaderoller comprising a plastic plug and a pin, said plug having an endWall, a plurality of radial vanes extending from said end wall andsubstantially normal thereto and an axially extending opening throughsaid plug converging from said end wall along the inner edges of saidvanes, and said pin having a shank of uniform crosssecti-on and apointed end, Whereby'insertion of said pin expands the vanes intogripping engagement with the hollow end of a shaderoller. t

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,725,269 8/29Hartshorn 160-301 1,742,454 1/30 Van Derhoef 29148.4 1,882,592 10/32Hendriokson 160'326 1,884,104 10/32 Moore et al 29148.4 2,491,074 12/49Bell 160326 2,573,498 10/51'f Scott -24 3,064,452 11/62 Gast l -323 XFOREIGN PATENTS 1,122,536 9/56 France. v

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, JEROME SCHNALL,

f Examiners.

1. IN A SHADER ROLLER ASSEMBLY HAVING A TUBULAR METAL ROLLERS WITH ASHADE ROLLER THEREON AND A SPRING MOTOR AT ONE END THEREOF, THEIMPROVEMENT TO FACILITATE THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE OVERALL LENGTH OF THEASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN EXPANSIBLE PLUG AT THE OTHER END OF SAID ROLLER,SAID PLUG BEING ANINTEGRAL MOLDING FOR SEMI-RESILIENT PLASTIC MATERIALHAVING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF POLYMETHYLENE, SAID PLUG HAVING A CIRCULAREND WALL AT THE OUTER END THEREOF THAT IS SUFFICIENTLY LARGER INDIAMETER THAN THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID ROLLER TO PREVENT INSERTION OFTHE PLUG INTO SAID ROLLER BEYOND SAID END WALL, AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICALBARREL PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE INNER FACE OF SAID END WALL, THE AXISOF WHICH IS COEXTENSIVE WITH THE CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID CIRCULAR END WALLAND WHICH IS OF AN OUTSIDER DIAMETER TO BE RECEIVED IN THE ROLLER INSLIP-FIT RELATION WHEN THE PLUG IS IN UNEXPANDED CONDITION, A HUBPORTION EXTENDING FROM THE INNER FACE OF SAID END WALL THE AXIS OF WHICHIS CONCENTRIC TO THE CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID END WALL, SAID HUB PORTIONHAVING AN INWARDLY TAPERING CENTRAL OPENING THEREIN THAT OPENS THROUGHSAID END WALL, A CYLINDRICAL GUDGEON PIN HAVING A POINTED END RECEIVABLEIN THE OPENING IN SAID HUB, A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY DISPOSED RIBSINTERCONNECTING SAID BARREL IN SAID HUB, AND THE OUTER END OF SAIDOPENING IN SAID HUB BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL IN DIAMETER TO THEDIAMETER OF SAID GUDGEON PIN BUT SAID OPENING TAPERING INWARDLY TO ADIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID PIN, WHEREBYFORCEABLE INSERTION OF THE PIN INTO SAID OPENING EXPANDS SAID HUBRADIALLY OUTWARDLY WITH THE EXPANDING FORCE BEING TRANSMITTED TO SAIDBARREL THROUGH SAID RIBS TO LOCK SAID PLUG WITHIN SAID ROLLER.